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Peter Dunne lets rip at TVNZ

The following is Peter Dunne’s response to TVNZ’s announcement this morning that TVNZ7 is to become a +1 channel.

TVNZ’s decision to replace TVNZ7 with a “repeats” channel of TV One programmes is the ultimate insult to the intelligence of New Zealand television viewers, UnitedFuture leader Peter Dunne said today.

“TV One represents the worst of television in this country. It is crass, superficial, lowest common denominator rubbish.

“It is too obsessed with its own self-imagined ‘stars’ and the culture surrounding them than to have any credible claim on being a legitimate national broadcaster.

“By contrast, TVNZ7 has always appealed to a higher standard – both in terms of quality and the range of programmes offered.

“To replace TVNZ7 with the rubbish of TV One is a disgusting insult to the hundreds of thousands of regular TVNZ7 viewers,” he said.

Mr Dunne called on TVNZ’s new chairman Wayne Walden to intervene immediately to reverse the decision

“If TVNZ can fund a repeats channel in place of TVNZ7, then at the very least it should be a repeats channel of quality programmes sourced from other channels, in fact very much as TVNZ7 is now,” he said.

Mr Dunne said Mr Walden has a strong reputation from his time as chair of Māori Television.

“I hope he will bring those same qualities to his new role at TVNZ and play an active part in restoring TVNZ as a quality public service broadcaster. Reversing this insulting decision would be a good start.”

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Regan is one of the co-founders of Throng Media. If they're on, I'm usually watching Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, 24, Battlestar Galactica, The X Factor, Survivor, House of Cards, Mad Men and the NRL.More from this author »

reece_555

Peter Dunne conveniently leaves out the government he is a part of has refused to fund any part of the channel. TVNZ has never and cant be expected to fund this channel on its commercial revenue.

He couldn’t have been to concerned about this when he signed his deal last year.

David Finch

To be fair, this is not the first time Peter Dunne has spoken up in favour of TVNZ7 or public broadcasting in general. I agree that TVNZ cannot be expected to fund the channel directly without government encouragement. Mr Dunne is one more voice keeping this debate alive. He is to be congratulated.

http://www.facebook.com/rustyviewer Russell Gray

I don’t mind a +1 channel. Like TV3+1, it adds more flexability to how we will view and/or record programs.